Title: I Dare You
Chapter: 5 ( Shut up and Kiss Me. )
Rating: PG
E-mail: shenkoskyusa@netscape.net
By: Kas
My site: ( www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Blossom/2070 )

Thanks to Andrea, for putting this up.
And to Asian Christmas, for editing! As well as to everyone who's
been e-mailing me.I just *love* feedback!
....................................................................
Disclaimers: I do not own Sailor Moon, in any way shape or form
.....................................................................
Bright light blazing into his eyes caused Darien
to slowly awake from his dreams.
Not wishing to have any part of the day, he
quickly turned over to get away from that 
insistent light, also known as the sun, and rolled onto something 
soft and warm.
'And wasn't the sun usually on the other side of the room, you know, 
where the window was?'
Darien decided to dismiss the thought as he buried his face deeper 
into the sweet smelling, *blond* hair.' 
Sweet smelling hair, window on the wrong side of the room, and 
something warm and soft...with curves!
Yeah, I'd say it's a pretty good time to wake up
now.'
Cracking open an eye lid, then raising his head he looked down 
to see a sleeping goddess, that he was in no doubt crushing.
A soft, goofy, 'didn't get enough sleep' grin came to his lips.
Her golden hair circled her serene face as she made quiet little
snoring noises. 
He liked waking up like this.
Judging by his perception of time, he figured he had only had 
about three hours sleep in full.
And since he did like waking up like this, he figured he'd 
do it again.
Wrapping his arms around the sleeping girl and pulling her closer,
he leaned down and caught her lips in a gentle kiss, then dropped 
his head onto the pillow and proceeded to go back to bed.
After all, the part of his brain that was working this early found 
nothing wrong in the act.
So, Darien was happy and within mere seconds, fast asleep.
**********************
When he finally did reawake four hours later, he awoke to an 
empty bed.
Turning over onto his back, he looked to the spot where she would 
have been.
A smile tugged at his lips as he breathed in the smell of flowers
that seemed to hover around the room. 
Lazily stretching, he slowly got out of bed.
Today was going to be a good day, he could feel it in his bones.
Taking a moment to look around the room, he noticed a bunny theme.
Stuffed rabbits sat propped up on her dresser while others lay at 
the bottom of the floor in a heap.
'All but mine' he thought, rather pleased as he looked to the rabbit
 laying on the end of the bed.
Turning around, he examined the hair pins and brushes sitting on the 
night stand.
Pink ones blue ones, purple ones.  There were an array of different 
colored bows.
A white lamp with little bunnies that looked almost as if they were 
dancing on the shades sat in the middle.
Next to the lamp sat the alarm clock and a picture of her family 
and her at the park.
Sammy was making faces into the camera, while Serena smiled calmly
 as her parents looked on with amusement.

Looking down at the moons and stars bedspread, he smiled to 
himself.
He wasn't quite sure why, but it fit.
Turning around, he slowly walked out of the room and into the hall.
'Now where had that girl gotten to?'
His thoughts were cut short when a delicious smell wafted up from 
the kitchen.
His stomach growled in appreciation of whatever it was and urged him 
to agree to its demands.
Curiously, Darien walked down the long staircase and followed the
scent through the house.
Upon reaching the kitchen, he spotted a perky looking Meatball head, 
reading a book and sitting Indian style on top of the counter.
Further investigation proved that his stomach had been correct,
for sitting on top of the stove was a pot with something that 
smelled distinctly like vegetable soup cooking.
A slight smile came to his lips as he looked back to the blond.
He was having a hard time keeping the surprise from showing.
Yesterday, she had looked like she might not make it through the 
night.
And today! Well, she actually resembled his old Meatball head.
Her face, no longer pale, but a soft healthy lavender.
Her eyes, a bright blue, that held the power to hold him in a 
trance.
No longer did smudges of purple circled her eyes, and her whole 
posture looked better.
Yesterday, if she would of attempted sitting on the counter the way 
she was now, she would have fallen off.
'Looks like I did a good job of taking care of her' he thought 
with a lazy smile.
Leaning against the door frame, he watched her silently.
A little smiled hovered around the edges of his mouth as he
 realized her hair was back in the 'Meatballs' he loved so much.
She never knew how he felt about the hair style but he vowed one 
day he'd tell her.
Taking note of her appearance, he smiled a little more.
He wasn't use to seeing her in anything but her normal every day
school uniform, and seeing her in clothes meant to 'bum around in'
made him feel almost as though he was getting to know a different 
side of her.
It was a crazy notion, he was sure of that, but he couldn't help his 
thoughts from wandering to such insane limits. 

A pink oversized sweat shirt and a pair of loss fitting blue jeans
adorned her body.
The casual attire looked to be made for someone 10 pounds heavier, 
and a foot taller.
He could barely stop the chuckle that was just dying to get out.
But he couldn't, however, stop the way his heart flipped at the 
picture of fragile innocence she made.

His heart constricted at the thought of him ever having to leave 
her.
He wasn't quite sure where it had come from, but an overwhelming
 feeling of protectiveness washed over him as he watched the young 
woman before him.
Suddenly, it hit him.
She no longer needed him to take care of her.
She was healthy and back to normal, she didn't need him to stay 
around and pamper her.
He had no reason to stay around at all, and it was only a matter 
of time before she told him so.
Ignoring the pain in his heart at the thought of leaving, he 
quietly made his presence known.

Looking up from her book, Serena rewarded him with a blinding 
smile and he could have sworn his heart had done a triple Lutz.
Smiling back, he walked into the kitchen a little more and leaned 
against the counter she was sitting on.
"How do you feel?" he asked quietly.  As hard as he tried he just 
couldn't keep the question from coming out.
She set down her book before looking back to him, with a sweet 
smile.
"I feel great!"  she answered breezily.  
Forcing a smile to his lips, he nervously ran a hand through his wild
hair.
"That's, ah, great Meatball head. I'm glad."  'Liar!'
"So, what's cooking?"  he asked curiously as he glanced the pot.
He was almost sure, but asked the question anyway. 
She looked up and smiled before sliding towards the edge of the 
counter and jumping off.
"Vegetable soup, you want some?"
He gave her a lazy smile and nodded a little.
"Sure, if you don't mind."
She smiled a little more and shrugged. "Why would I mind? I mean I
know it's not exactly breakfast fit for a king, but then again 
it's like two in the afternoon."
His smile slipped.  "Two in the afternoon?"  'My god!'
She turned around to look at him " Yeah, you've been out a while...
I would have woken you, but you looked so tired"
Suddenly, Serena looked a little uncertain.
"Should I have?" she asked quietly.
Darien smiled in reassurance.  "No, I was just surprised.  Um, is that
going to burn?"
 Looking to were he was pointing, she made a face and quickly ran to
turn it off while mumbling something about her being a disaster 
in the kitchen. 

Walking towards the table, he watched as she proceeded to get the 
soup, crackers, and spoons.
She moved in a graceful way along the small kitchen while picking 
up different items as she went.
He found that he just couldn't keep his eyes off her.
Everything she did was a mystery to him.
This girl.. woman had managed to turn his life upside down since 
the moment her first laid eyes on her.
And just like a drug, he found he couldn't live without her.  The 
only difference was that this was no disease and there was no cure.
Sighing in the realization that it was indeed possible to love 
someone more and more with the time you spend with them, Darien, 
found himself in a situation that would only get worse... Or better.
He couldn't stop loving her, he'd tried that and failed horribly.
The only outcome had been that he loved her even more.
But now, he was royally screwed!
The time he had spent with her this week had been enough to 
realize that, in no way, could he live without her.
The smell of her hair, the way she walked, her voice, even her soft 
snoring was forever imprinted in his mind.
And the thought of ever having to give it up? No.
Of ever having to give her up was worse then a slow and horrible 
death.
If he had to live the rest of his life seeing her but not ever being
near her and watching her with some other guy, he would lose his mind.
And of course, she would eventually be with some other guy.  It was 
only a matter of time.
He was drawn out of his thoughts by the sound of Serena setting 
down the food.
Looking up to find her arranging the crackers onto a plate, he smiled.
Something about her taking care of him and cooking for him made some 
sort of primal instinct in him jumps to attention.
He could just picture her standing over a stove bare foot and in a 
bath robe cooking him breakfast.
He was positive that if anyone had read his mind he would be chased 
after and called a chauvinist for the thought.
Then again, this was Serena, she would probably burn the house down 
in an attempt at cooking.
Not that he wanted that, heck no, he'd be just as happy to do the 
cooking for them, as long as she was his.
Realizing that his thoughts had not only taken an odd but down 
right weird turn, he turned his attention back to the angel 
and smiled. 

'If he doesn't stop smiling like that, I might not be able to eat' 
she told herself silently before taking a seat.
Her stomach hadn't stopped doing those annoying flip flops, and she
was almost sure her heart was beating hard enough for even him to
hear!
It was weird.
She had never guessed love could make her feel the way she did now.
The way he could make her feel by just looking at her.
Her heart was his, she knew it was.
She had spent the better part of the morning 'if you like to call 
1:30pm the morning' thinking about this.
Every time she told herself there was no way she could possibly 
be in love with him, her heart betrayed her, telling her she was a
liar and to stop fighting it.
Everytime she thought about his down points, she kept coming back 
to the good points. 
And this stupid voice in her head kept telling her that no one is 
perfect and if they are, they're a liar.
Everything she once found annoying, she now found charming. 
Charming? God, when did she start using such words?
Looking up to the man in question, she felt a soft smile hover 
around the edges of her lips.
His hair looked like he hadn't combed it in years and his 
clothes looked like they had been trampled on.
If she didn't know any better, she'd say he went through the car 
wash without the car.
And the worst part was that it was cute.
Yes, you heard correctly, he looked cute and sexy!
She hadn't even been aware of how to describe the word, but now 
she knew.
Soft ebony hair falling into deep blue eyes, strong masculine 
features. A pointed nose and strong jaw.
And to top it off, some of the fullest, most sensual lips you had 
ever seen.
Yep, that just about described sexy in her book.
She wondered what it would be like to kiss him.
For a fleeting moment, she had the most insistent urge to find out 
before promptly stomping on the very idea. 
This was nuts.. beyond insane.  And it had to end!
But how? How could she stop the thoughts, the feelings?
Last night when he held her, she had felt an overwhelming calm wash 
through her.
It felt so safe with him there, locked in his arms.
She had slept with that feeling, lulled to sleep by the beating of 
his heart.
A soothing, protective sound that had brought a smile to her lips, 
even in sleep.
Somewhere during the night, she had felt lips on hers.
A warm sweet sensation had washed through her at the all too 
brief contac.
She was positive it had been a dream, but still no dream had ever
felt that real. 
Sighing a little more, she relaxed back into her seat, and placed 
her hands on the table.
'What am I going to do?  What can I do?  This is DARIEN!
18 year old Darien, who probably has girls falling all over him all
the time.' her mind screamed.
'What would he do if you were one of them?... Laugh, pat you on the
head and say you're a good kid?'   "Sigh."
She couldn't, under any circumstances, tell him how she felt.  It 
would be her down fall.
Even if she didn't think he'd use it against her, she still couldn't
give him that amount of power over her.
Seeing him every day and knowing that he knew.
And the telling him? God, it would crush her to see pity in his 
eyes.
Or worse yet... laughter.  
And she did love him, all her soul searching had proven that to 
her.
She loved and had loved him since the moment she had first laid 
eyes on him.
It had just taken a while to register that the overwhelming feelings 
he stirred in her were caused by more then just anger.
She had unconsciously hidden behind the anger to keep the feeling at 
bay, but now she knew.
She could no longer deny the way her heart jumped at the sound of
his voice or the mention of his name.
She was completely, hopelessly in love with the man, and she 
couldn't do any thing about it. 
And it hurt. 

Darien watched the girl before him in curiosity.
She hadn't touched her food, she just sat there lost in thought.
He had to admit it was a little odd having the Meatball head so 
quiet.
The serious demeanor didn't look right on her. 
Her sky blue eyes starred unblinking at the bowl of soup in front 
of her as she watched nothing in particular.
Her pointed nose wrinkled in thought and soft lips were pulled into
a serious frown.
He found himself on the verge of leaning over the table and kissing 
the solemn look right off her face. 
Quickly taking a hold of his emotions, he booted the thought out and 
continued to watch the statue in silence.
It continued like this for some time.
Darien watching, Serena thinking.
In short, a God-awful silence had overtaken the small kitchen. 
After ten minutes of this odd form of torture, Darien cleared his 
throat in an attempt to gain the girl's attention.
She looked up questioningly and he suddenly felt stupid.
Well, he hadn't thought of what to say.  He just knew that if the 
silence had continued any longer, he'd end up doing something stupid.
'Like kiss the pout from her face. Or worse, say something like *
I love you*'
Having no control of his feelings or situation he was placed 
in made him feel lost and helpless.
He wanted to tell her.
He needed to tell her, but the fear of rejection was overwhelming.
What would he do if she refused him?
Told him she couldn't possibly love him?
His world would fall apart, that's what.
His heart would break and he'd be thrown into a painful pit of 
despair.
Not a very appealing thought.
'But what if she said yes?' his heart questioned.
'What if she told you she loved you back? What if she threw 
herself into your arms and promised to be yours, and you, hers 
forever?'
A smile came to his lips at the mere thought.
He knew what would happen.
He'd spend the rest of his life loving her.
'But that wouldn't ever happen.' he told himself pitifully.
'How do you know? You haven't asked her, haven't told her. Things
are different between the both of you, look at the way she smiles 
at you.
Look at the way she speaks to you.
She doesn't hate you any more, might even love you.
But you'll never know until you tell her, will you? 
And even if she does turn you down, that doesn't mean it's the end.
You could always keep trying, things don't have to go back to the 
way they were before, not if you don't want them to.'
Feeling a little more in control of his life, Darien looked back 
to the girl and smiled coyly at her.
Well, what did he have to lose?
She blushed a little at his unwavering gaze, and her silence urged 
him to continue. 
Taking a deep breath, he stood from his chair and walked over to where 
she was sitting.
Ignoring the questions in her eyes, he leaned down and took her hand 
in his.
Fighting off nervousness, he slowly pulled her to her feet and led 
her to the living room while trying desperately to ignore the feelings 
that came from their hands being interlocked.
He was way out of his league here, but if he didn't tell her now he 
might never get the chance.
And he couldn't ignore the way he felt when she was near, the smell 
of her hair, or the way her body swayed when she walked.
Everything she did made him love her more and more.
He couldn't picture his life with any one else.
Ever wanting or needing anyone else the way he did her.
He *knew* that if he backed out now he would never forgive 
himself.
Licking his dry lips, he ran a nervous hand through his unruly 
hair and smiled at her a little.
She smiled back but still looked uncertain.
His eyes locked on hers and refused to look away.
Almost as though he was searching for some inkling as to how 
she was feeling.
Searching her soul.

Finally, Serena couldn't take the silence any longer.
"Darien, what is it?" she asked almost afraid of the answer.
He was acting so different.
He looked like he was battling with himself over some 
unanswered question.
Her heart beat painfully in her chest as she looked into his eyes.
She wasn't quite sure what he wanted but knew she'd grant him 
anything at this moment.
She kept looking back to his eyes, almost drowning in them.
Twice she had caught herself from telling him how she felt.
It was just so hard not to when he was standing so close, 
smiling down at her.
Her heart kept putting images in her mind.
Thoughts of them holding hands, walking on a beach, sitting on a 
bench in the park.
Kissing.
Shaking her head as if to dispell the thoughts, she looked back to 
him and felt her heart beat erratically.
She loved him so much it hurt.
Now she knew where the term had come from.
The way he smiled that cocky smile of his.
The smell of his cologne, the way he walked, and the way he spoke,
the way he held her.
His cocky attitude and childish grin he bestowed on her.
The protected feeling she got when he was near, the electricity that 
sparked to life whenever their hands touched.
She loved his good points, and bad points.
Suddenly, the realization that she couldn't live without him didn't 
even surprise her.
She loved the way he gave her his full attention when they talked.
Even when they had argued, he had acted as though she were the only 
girl in the world.
She smiled a little.
His eyes had never wandered from her. 
And it had made her feel special somehow.
She loved and need him.
Needed to be in his arms to love him, to hold him.
To learn his secrets and tell him hers.
She couldn't live without that.
She couldn't ignore her heart as much as she wished she could, 
she just couldn't.

Darien looked down to the girl in front of him, and let down 
the barriers.
He needed her and he wouldn't hold back, not now.
He was almost sure she could see every thing in his eyes.
A slight gasp escaped her parted lips as he held a steady gaze, 
allowing her a good look into his soul.
'Please don't let me lose her...' he prayed silently before 
giving his undivided attention to the girl before him.
The thought of living without her was more painful than anything 
he'd ever experienced in his whole life.
He'd tell her everything, he swore.
About his parents, about his life, he wouldn't hold anything back.
He needed to tell her, to lean on her.
Never in his whole life had he ever wanted to open up to anyone, 
but to Serena, he couldn't wait.  
He needed her love more then a starving man needed food.
He couldn't wait any longer, every moment without her seemed to 
stretch on into eternity.
Lowering his head and squeezing her hands a little tighter, he 
took a deep breath in order to banish some of the tension.
Realizing that it hadn't helped and that nothing probably would,
he swallowed the lump in his throat and closed his eyes.
'Well here goes nothing.'
"Serena, I... I " "I love you, Darien!"
His eyes snapped open and landed on a blushing Meatball head.
"W..what?" he couldn't believe his ears.
It had to have been wishful thinking. Right?
She shrugged her shoulders a little and blushed a deeper shade 
of red.
Uncertainty played across her face as she averted her eyes from 
his.
"I... I said I love you.. Darien."
Quickly bowing her head in embarrassment and not wishing to see his
reaction to her outburst, she sighed in self-pity.
She couldn't hold it back.
The words had just slipped from her mouth like a title wave.
It appeared, she had no control over her mouth as well as her 
feelings.
So, what now? He hadn't said anything and there was no way she 
would look up to see him holding back laughter, or worse yet 
revulsion. 
Suddenly, she felt his hand drop from hers and could have cried.
So, that was it.
Well, she certainly couldn't blame him, and it wasn't exactly a 
surprise.
After all, she had been expecting as much, but still the knowledge 
hurt.
Holding a solemn face, she tried as hard as she could not to 
show the pain she was feeling, but felt a tear slip though her 
barrier despite her protests. 
Lowering her head further, she let out a shriek of surprise as 
she felt arms lock around her waist.
Before she had a chance to gather her thoughts, she was engulfed 
in a tight embrace.
"God, Serena, do you have any idea how much I love you?"
The words were whispered into her ear sending shivers of pleasure 
down her spine.
She felt as though she couldn't breath.
The emotions coursing through her brought a new wave of tears to 
her eyes. 
"Y.. You do?"  she asked almost uncertainly still not quite ready 
to believe her own ears.
Darien pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.
Cupping her face with his hands, he brushed the stray tears away 
and smiled lovingly at her. 
"More than anything in the world."
Relief over took her and she threw herself into his arms.
Holding onto him as tight as she could, she repeated the words 
"I love you, I love you, I love you.." into his ears almost like a 
chant.
Laughing, he swung her around a couple times before kissing her 
forehead and holding her with the knowledge that he wouldn't have to 
give her up anytime soon.
"I love you too, Meatball head.  Since the moment that test paper 
hit me on the head, I've loved you.  I'm sorry for being a jerk, can 
you forgive me?" he asked quietly.
Pulling back a little, she smiled up at him, "You're already forgiven.
And you know what?"
Smiling a little wider now, he rested his head against hers. "What?"
he asked.
"I've loved you since the moment I met you too."
"Oh, you have, have you?" 
"Yep" she answered breezily.
"You were just too big of a jerk for me to ever say anything."
Laughing a little, he kissed her cheek, then her nose, then her 
forehead.

Serena held her breath as he showered her face with light butterfly 
kisses.
Each time wishing he'd just KISS her.
He kept bypassing her lips, with his kisses.
He was teasing her, she realized as she sighed into his embrace l
ittle more.
Suddenly, she felt the smallest peck on her lips before he pulled back
once more.She whimpered a little and waited before he lowered his lips
to hers 
once more, this time staying there.
Her body relaxed against him and she opened to his gentle assault.
He teased her lips coaxing them to open to him, when she did she 
could have fainted from the overwhelming emotions assaulting her
senses. 
He quietly probed her mouth testing, tasting, coaxing her to do 
the same.
Quietly, she complied to his silent demand and found her world spiral 
out of control.
Bringing her hands up to play with his hair, she reveled in the feel 
of being this close.
His arms pulled her closer into the embrace as the kiss lasted long 
past the limits of air supply, but neither one seemed to notice.
It wasn't until they were dizzy from lack of oxygen did the 
kiss finally end.
Serena rested her head against his chest and smiled at the sound of 
his heartbeat.
It was, in her opinion, the most beautiful sound in the world.
The overwhelming feelings of love that washed through her made her 
hold on to him just a little bit tighter as she relaxed in his 
embrace, perfectly content to spent the rest of her life like this.
Feeling him pull back a little, she loosened her grip and looked 
up into his eyes. 
"Serena, I promise I'll do everything I can to make you happy.
J.. just promise to never leave me, and I swear you'll never regret 
it.
I'll do anything, just promise.."
She smiled with all the love she felt and nodded her agreement, 
without hesitation.
After all, how could she deny him any thing.
Ignoring the tears of happiness that came to her eyes, she looked 
up to him boldly and stated "Yes, I promise, just shut up and 
kiss me."
He laughed a little before nodding and complying to her wish.
He vowed then and there to spend the rest of his life making 
his beautiful Meatball head happy.
And you know what?  He did.


The End
.....................................................................
HA! I'M DONE! I'm finally free!
I just finished the very first story I've ever started!
Good Lord, it feels good to be free!
~Gets up off of chair and dances around the room a little~
Wow, anyway, I'm real sorry this hasn't been out sooner but 
writers block, school, my web site, my brother's web site, 
~I'm doing it for him~ life and other things got in the way.
Things like family birthday parties, plus, eye doctors and 
orthodontis. 
I have to get ~ insert scream of horror here~ braces!
And my older brothers have been giving me horror stories of when 
they got their's done. ~Don't you just *love* brothers.~
Anyway, tell me what you thought!
I wanna know, really I do, I didn't just spend 3 or 4 months writing 
for no good reason.
( shenkoskyusa@netscape.net ) or ( fandmsmr@netscape.net )
My site: 'F&M Sailor Moon Romance' is at 
( www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Blossom/2070 ) stop in and sign my guest 
book please.

God, bless.    

~Kas~        

4:36 AM 2/21/00